Paddy Byrne was one of the county’s top farmers

ONE of the best known and most popular families in midLouth, was bereaved recently in the death of Mr. Patrick (Paddy) Byrne of Coolestown Hse., Greenmount, Castlebellingham — formerly of Mooremount, Dunleer. He would have been ninety in October.

Born at Mosstown, a couple of miles from Dunleer, Paddy Byrne, as he was known to everyone, provided living testimony that there are other ways of making a success of one’s life than by scholastic attainments.

Reared in an age when second and third level education was strictly for the privileged, the deceased, equipped basically with a good grinding in the three R’s, and with a propensity for hard work, was soon to outstrip many of his contemporaries who had been afforded better starts. And what’s more he was to stay at the top for years on end.

One of the most successful farmers which this county has produced, the late Mr. Byrne on leaving Philipstown national school, joined his uncle, also a Patrick Byrne, on a 100 plus farm at Mooremount. And as it happened he was destined to follow his uncle’s footsteps in public life, the elder Mr. Byrne having himself been the first vice-chairman of the Louth County Council. When he died, his place on the council was taken by his nephew, on an independent ticket, and also having by then inherited the farm.

Linking up later on with Fine Gael, the deceased was readily returned at each L.G. election up to ‘67 when, after a 33 years stint, he decided on calling it a day. There was a whole lot more to Paddy Byrne than being a go-ahead farmer and member of the County Council. For many years he was also a member of the County Committee of Agriculture and the Old Age Pensions and Library Committees. For years he was also a leading light with the Louth Ploughing Association.

He was in turn vicechairman and chairman of the now defunct Annagassan Harbour Commissioners and was head of the also defunct Dunleer Development Committee

Another of his achievements was when the Louth Vocational Education Committee gave the green light to the setting up of a ‘ Tech’ on the Clogherhead road, Dunleer.